


The Marsden Hotel

by Catticus42



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Teslen - Freeform, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22526530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catticus42/pseuds/Catticus42
Summary: Helen and Nikola go on a mission, although she may have left out an important detail.
Relationships: Helen Magnus/Nikola Tesla
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	The Marsden Hotel

“If I ever have to travel on one of those blasted contraptions, again, it will be too soon,” Nikola grumbled next to her as they got off said contraption. Their traveling companions dispersed anatomically into the busy crowd. 

“It was a bus, Nikola, not a chariot from Hell.” 

“That… is a matter of opinion.” He glared after the vehicle, with a distain he reserved solely for the lesser evils that society had to offer. “Couldn’t we have hailed a cab?” 

“You hate cabs,” Helen replied, bemused. 

“It’s tolerable, compared to being trapped in that oversized tin can.” He folded his arms as he walked beside her. “Still worse than that camel in Cairo, though,” he sighed. 

“Oh, don’t give me that. You were fond of that camel,” she remarked playfully. “You fed her sugar cubes, after she spat on one of the archaeologists on our team, if I recall.” 

“Sheba had a great judge of character and, after her good deed, she deserved a little reward.” Nikola shrugged, with a smirk. “But the camel I was referring to, was yours.” He narrowed his eyes. “He kept trying to eat my shirt.” 

“That’s because you were withholding sugar cubes from him.” She poked him in the arm and he gave her an unimpressed look. 

“His lack of manners was no excuse.” 

Helen chuckled. “Alright. Enough reminiscing, we need to…. Ah!” Her sentence was cut off as a loud-mouthed teenager bumped into her, roughly, causing him to spill some colourful drink he was holding on his shirt and her to lose her balance. She gasped as arms caught her around her waist. 

The young boy cursed, and a familiarly low predatory hiss permeated the air, causing a satisfying adolescent yelp as the boy scampered away, shouting something about demons. 

“Watch your step, darling,” her vampire whispered teasingly, in his low metallic voice, drawing her closer to him, almost protectively, as the crowd continued to intensify. “This place is infested with delinquents.”

Despite her hate of being coddled, she was rather moved by his concern. 

Helen sighed with a smile, as she turned in his arms to face him, her hands resting against his chest for a moment. “I could say the same for you and your vampiric outbursts,” she pointed out, and his eyes darkened. 

“Oh, please, that ill-dressed Neanderthal deserved it. Perhaps he will go home and rethink his life choices. Starting with his wardrobe, preferably.” He wrinkled his nose in disgust, anger still evident in his tone. 

But this side of town was riddled with abnormal dealers and collectors, and Nikola would be a prize they would gladly kill for. 

“Yes, because hissing like an alley cat is bound to result in an attitude adjustment.” She pushed gently against his chest and his hands slipped from around her waist as they began making their way towards the hotel. “And, while I appreciate the sentiment, try not to be so reckless in the future. Someone could have seen you.” 

“I just flashed my teeth, a little. Besides, I couldn’t be safer, when I have you to protect me.” Nikola winked. 

Insufferable.

Helen hid her smile. “From yourself, in most cases, or people after you because of something you have done,” she reminded him. 

“Alright, I get it. The little punk wasn’t worth the risk,” Nikola admitted with a sigh. “And you wonder why I don’t like public transportation, Not only is it the carrier of riff raff and ill manners, but it’s also unhygienic, and noisy…..” 

She rolled her eyes. While she was quite fond of his ability to mock the small things in life, she’d had more than enough of his complaining about the bus, on it let alone off of it. 

“Shhh,” Helen placed a finger on his lips to quieten him, bringing them to a halt and then answering his questioning, if not irritated look that said “What?” 

“Nothing. I just wanted you to stop talking,” She replied sweetly.

“You know, Helen, there is a far more effective method of doing that.” He smirked, his eyes sparkling mischievously. 

“Ah, yes, but I can’t really spare the bullets, as of this moment.” She patted his cheek fondly. “Too many witnesses. I will take a raincheck on that though.” 

Nikola shot her a withering look, as she pulled away. “Hilarious. What next, spray me with holy water? Season me with garlic?” 

“Damn, and to think I left my Vampire survival kit at home,” she bantered back, enjoying their verbal sparring. 

“Sadist.” 

“Don’t be sulky. After all, it was you, I recall, who practically begged me to let you come here in the first place.” She glanced at the over the decorated sign that read MARSDEN HOTEL. 

“Begged, charmed. Either way you obviously liked the idea enough to let me come along.” The smirk retuned, which was never a good thing, in her experience, because it was a sort of arrogance that knew it was right. 

“Or you complained enough, so that I hoped, by taking you with me, it would quieten you long enough to give me a moment’s peace,” she retorted, though not unkindly. “Evidently, I was wrong.”  
“If that was meant to be affectionate, your endearments need work, Helen,” he quipped as they crossed the street, heading towards the entrance of the hotel. 

“I’m not conventional,” Helen offered, mirth dancing in her eyes. 

“So I’ve noticed,” he said dryly, as he wordlessly opened the door for her. 

It was a formality that made her strangely nostalgic, her eyes finding his. Nikola, while snarky arrogant and a touch flirtatious, was a gentleman. 

She rather missed that side of him. 

“Thank you.” She gave him a soft smile, before she walked through, as he followed behind her. 

The décor was sleek and neatly arranged, although a bit too contemporary for her tastes, it was still beautiful, in a modern way. 

She took in the other guests; at least a quarter of them, possibly more, would be attending the abnormal auction, tonight. Henry had managed to get her an invitation to this exclusive event. However; there was a catch.

A catch she may not have explicitly told Nikola about. For a few reasons. 

Although, as she suspected, he had caught on, anyway; his sharp eyes lingered upon a multitude of couples, holding hands and being generally sappy with one another. 

“And to think… I thought you needed me for my brilliance,” he whispered casually, eyes gleaming. She didn’t like that look. It spelt trouble. 

Helen bit her lip, hoping the pain would distract herself from blushing. He really didn’t need any further encouragement, as it was. “They have a select clientele. They only permit couples, or newlyweds, to stay here. And hence why you’re here.” 

“Hmm, do the kids know?” he asked slyly. 

Helen turned away, slightly. 

“Oh,” he grinned. “And how did junior take it?” 

“Unsurprisingly, he had a few choice words regarding my decision and said that it was a terrible idea, but eventually he saw it my way.” 

“You pulled the I’m-the-Boss card, didn’t you?” Nikola clicked his tongue appreciatively. “Authority has never looked better.”

“Funny, you don’t like it, so much, when I use it on you,” she teased. 

“Touché,” he smirked. “Well, either way, we best start playing the part, then, shouldn’t we?” he enquired innocently, his eyes the only tell-tale of his mischief. “Wouldn’t want anyone to get suspicious.”  
“You are having far too much fun with this,” Helen replied with affectionate exasperation, as she let him draw her swiftly closer. 

But before they could move any further, she put her hand against his chest giving him a meaningful look. 

“This is a mission, not a romantic weekend. Don’t get any ideas.” 

Nikola’s lips curved deviously in response. “Oh, Helen, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t,” he whispered, as his fingers ran gently down the length of her arm. 

“Don’t make me wish I brought Will, instead.” she warned, trying to ignore the pleasant shivers his touch elicited. 

“Do you really think you would?” he murmured softly, his thumb circling the back of her hand until his fingers tentatively brushed hers and she entwined their fingers together with a small sigh.  
“That depends entirely on your behaviour, Nikola.” 

“I don’t like what you’re implying,” he replied, sounding offended. 

“Then be good, and I won’t have to imply It.” She squeezed his hand, gently, before letting go as they made their way to the front desk, and got their key from the young attendant, without any hassles. 

“Well, Elena and Nick, your room is on the third floor.”

“Thank you, Luke.” Helen exclaimed, warmly, as she drew closer to the vampire, his hand on the curve of her waist. 

“Not a problem, and I hope you enjoy your stay.” He nodded to both of them.

“That depends, do you have wine?” Nikola enquired, and Helen slapped his arm with a smile, while her eyes were scolding him. The cheeky devil. 

“I’m sorry,” Helen apologised. “He’s incurable.”

“It’s not a problem. I have the list, here….” Luke swallowed awkwardly at their rather affectionate display, as he scoured the drawers for the wine list. 

“And I’m yours, darling.” He purred near her ear, as her hand traced the lapel of his jacket, amused. 

They had played this part, many, many times. It was like a dance, really. One that changed on a whim and adapted to the music of their surroundings. 

“You’re lucky I adore you, otherwise that wouldn’t work.” Helen shook her head with a laugh whilst she thumbed his tie, smiling down at his chest.

But Instead of smirking or a wise retort, he gently grabbed her hand, causing her to look up at him bemused as he softly pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist, his lips lingering on her pulse, for a moment before he let go. 

Helen was so distracted by Nikola, that she wasn’t really paying attention to Luke once he had found the list. 

“Here we are, Sir. The ’94 Merlot just came in, yesterday, so it isn’t on the list, but you can pre order.”

“Well,” Nikola replied with a smile, his eyes never leaving Helen. “I’m enjoying myself already.”


End file.
